Nostalgia
by Luzufu
Summary: Red returns for summmer. oneshot.


**Gameverse** Red and Green.

* * *

The smell of nostalgic, sweet, humid summer air. The soft breeze, and the sun dipping into the water as it sets. Yes, it's been many years since Red had came back from Mt. Silver. How long has it been since he'd smelled his mother's cooking? Since he'd started thinking that summer and spring no longer existed? As he walked up to his room (messy and cluttered with poképlushes and action figure collectibles), he noted that, as he brushed his fingers across his desk, everything needed a good dusting. His bed was clustered with toys and books (How 2 B a Pokémon Master! was one, and he laughed at that) and other junk. He missed this place, he realized. He opened the window, letting the summer air swirl through his room. He looked at his collectibles, remembering that it was important to collect 'em all when he was a kid. Remembering that he'd always argue which one was most rare with Green...

Oh.

Green.

Maybe he'd pay a visit to him. He hadn't seen him since last month when he sent him the usual supplies. Did he still live in the same house? Did he move? Red wasn't sure. He was never in the loop of what was happening. He bounded downstairs, told his mother he was going to see Green, and stepped out the door. He walked to Green's house. He rang the doorbell. Daisy opened the door, and welcomed him in. "Green's not home yet, but you can go up to his room and wait." she said. Red nodded and walked up the once-familiar stairs. Were they always so small? Was it always this clean, soft hazel-colored? The icy winds of Mt. Silver had muddled up his head. He had got to take a break once in a while and stop relying on others to deliver supplies, but he was too stubborn. What the hell was wrong with him? He walked in Green's room. First thing he noticed was how clean and organized it was compared to his. With one glance at the shelves, the once-filled shelves of collectible figures were now spotless with only a few papers and books. Green's desk was clean, one or two books on it and a computer. A stack of popular magazines were at one corner, on top of a tightly sealed box, right under the closed window. Red picked up the first magazine at the top of the stack and flipped to random pages (What the hell was a Uxie? Who's this Diamond kid? When did this Lyra girl set in?).

"What the hell are you doing in here?" Green's voice pierced through the hazy silence. Red, mastering the urge to react, looked up without jumping in surprise, as much as he wanted to. He lifted up the magazine he was holding and pointed to it. Apparently being on Mt. Silver made him unable to communicate properly either. For the second time in the day, he wondered what the hell was wrong with him. Green scratched the back of his head and sighed. "Why in Mew's name did Daisy let you up here?" he muttered, pulling out his chair and rolling up to his desk, starting up his computer. Red watched him as he put on his glasses, watched him as he rolled up his sleeves, and stared right back when he looked at him. "Again, what the hell are you doing?" Red shrugged. "Existing." Green slumped backward and facepalmed at the simplicity of this answer. "Geeez." was all that came out of his mouth under his hands.

* * *

For a week now Red's been home. At first everyone was shocked; happy; stunned; he was still around. Now all of them are resuming their usual activities, as if Red never left, as if Red never came back. Yet for some reason the summer air was now more relaxed, more peaceful, even if they hear Green, if not Red, yelling from Green's room. Red's been camping at Green's house for the whole week, wanting to open that box, reading the entire pile of magazines, playing around with the computer, everything. Green didn't understand why, but he didn't care. He wanted his room neat and clean, and having Red over was always such a chore. He even slept on his floor, for god's sake. One time he fell off his bed and woke up eye-to-eye with the clear shade of dark red straight up in the morning. Daisy had seen them and started giggling, saying they 'looked so cute together'. He didn't want this, and he definitely didn't want to take care of this stubborn idiot who didn't even bother wearing a damn jacket in the freezing cold climate on Mt. Silver. And even so, he wouldn't leave him because they were friends. Best friends, even as rivals. One lazy day he had enough and dragged Red out and into his own room, only to stop short as he stared at the mess of a room. "Is this why you wouldn't go back?" Green asked him. Red shrugged. He took careful steps over the books and toys, and sat down on a dusty chair. Green sighed. "Well we might as well clean up, if it means you not camping in my room anyway." He started to pick up the dust-covered books as Red watched him. "Make yourself useful." he grunted as he lifted up a load of books. Red ignored him and went downstairs instead. "Dick." Green muttered as he placed the books into an organized corner of the room. He reached for the shelves, and hesitated. These were the toys that they used to play with all the time. The toys that they fought over. And Red still kept them on his shelf like a treasure. He smiled lightly at the memory, then reached for collectibles. "Don't." Red's voice stopped him halfway. Green looked at him, and suppressed the urge to laugh. He was wearing an apron, holding two feather dusters and a bucket with a wet cloth. "Keep them like they are." he said, handing Green a feather duster. Green took the duster, sighing once again. Yet, he had a smile playing on his face, hidden from Red's view. How childish; how nostalgic. He thought about his own collectibles, in that box that was sealed tightly away. He cleaned up the shelves and piled up the books (_How 2 B a Pokémon Master?_ he snorted) neatly like his own magazines. Finally, finally, they were done (despite the fact that the bed and desk was still littered with toys) and both took a break, cracking open a bottle of soda pop and moo moo milk. "It's been a while, huh." Green said, taking a swing of soda. Red said nothing. He didn't need to, and Green didn't expect him to answer anyway. They both knew what the words meant, and they both watched Pika and Eevee play around, watched the neighboring kids reminding them of their younger years, watched the sun go down from Red's window making small talk (mostly Green doing the talking), until nighttime fell and moonlight coated the room. They heard the Clefairy singing in the distance, the hoot of a Noctowl... and they both fell asleep, exhausted from their work, as the cool, humid summer breeze swirled through the room with that familiar, nostalgic smell.

Together like always.


End file.
